The provincial government is reporting four deaths due to COVID-19 in the last two weeks of December.

There are 35 new hospitalizations, five of whom are in critical care.

Lab-confirmed cases over the holidays remained steady, with most days reporting 25 cases of less, with the exception of December 29 – which saw 30 cases.

As well, government is now reporting that just over 24 per cent of the total eligible population is up to date on their COVID vaccines. In case, up-to-date means the percent of the total population who have either received a booster or completed a primary series within the last 6 months.

The information being reported is for the period of December 18-31, a slight change to the way numbers were previously reported. That means some of what is being reported may have already been covered in the update given on December 21.

The Department of Health and Community Services says those who haven’t yet received their first box of COVID rapid tests should receive them in the coming days.

The province first announced that they would be distributing rapid tests by mail in mid-November, with deliveries beginning a few weeks later in early December.

The department says those who have not yet received any kits should receive their first package in the next few days.

There is no word on when the second round of deliveries will begin.

The test kits are also available at MHA offices and public libraries across the province.

Schedule for the 2023 Cain’s Quest Endurance Race have been released between the dates of February 28 to March 11.

The first event is a mandatory Racer check-in at the White Wolf Snowmobile Club in Labrador City on February 28.

Group 1 & 2 can check in from 9am to 12pm and Group 3 & 4 checks in 1 to 4pm.Groups will be decided according to the start line draw

On March 1st, racers have a mandatory meeting at the Arts and Culture Centre from 9am to 12pm and the draw for start like will be from 9am to 9:30am

There will be a mandatory gear & sled check only for racers and support groups and a mandatory Fan Night at the arena on March 2.

Group 1 of racers and support crews can go to the arena from 8am to 9pm, while group 2 can go at 9am to 10am.

The Fan Night will begin from 1pm to 7pm.

There’s going to be an Open Brunch on March 3, at the White Wolf Snowmobile club from 10am to 3pm for race teams only.

On March 4, anyone can meet at Tanya Lake to see the racer line up starting with group 1 at 8:45am and group 2 lining up at 9:15.

The racers will begin their race at 10am.

On March 11, from 1-4pm, at the Arts and Culture Centre will be the awards ceremony and the banquet will be at the arena with cocktails starting at 5:30pm and dinner starting at 6pm.

The provincial government is putting a push on developing more seniors housing.

It’s one of the more pressing needs according to the minister responsible for NL Housing, John Abbott.

He says people want to stay in their communities, but they’re looking for a place to live that’s more suitable to their needs, is accessible and includes people around to support them. Abbott has spoken to a number of mayors from across the province who have outlined the needs in their communities.

Other needs include greater shelter housing for people escaping domestic violence, and supportive housing for people living with mental health issues and addictions.

The year of 2023 started, and the Rigolet Inuit Community Government is already busy with projects.

Chesley Sheppard is the AngajukKâk.

Right now, they’re seeking workers, working on the rink, and clearing willows.

Sheppard says there are also tentative dates for a festival in March, but it will be around the winter games.

Click here to learn more of the projects the ICG and Sheppard are working on.

First Light in St. John’s returns to some in-person programs while restrictions were lifting, and the Nunatsiavut Government plans to build a new certified airport for Nain on March 1st.

On March 2, the Canadian Coast Guard landed in Nain and Hopedale and the Tikigiaksaugusik Festival have been moved from three days to one day due to restrictions.

March 3, MHA for the Torngat Mountains, Lela Evans brings up issues about the healthcare system for the North Coast, the Inuktitut Speak-off Have been changed to Inuttitut UKâlautta,

A small cluster of COVID-19 cases been identified in Postville on March 4 along with Russian vessels being banned from Canadian ports and internal waters.

On March 7, low COVID-19 activity starts in Makkovik, Jillian Larkin gets named as the Interim Chair of Tourism, health authorities ease visitor restrictions for patients and residents of long-term care and personal care homes.

March 8, Tyler Edmunds gets sworn in as acting president for the Nunatsiavut Government, COVID-19 activity starts in the communities of Nain and Postville, the Nunatsiavut Government no longer be discouraging non-essential travel to, from and within the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area and the Nain Safe House celebrates International Women’s Day and the Nunatsiavut Government held their first day of their Assembly sitting.

Plans for the Heritage Festival in Hopedale starts on March 9, MHA Lela Evans joins the NDP, various COVID-19 emergency support programs with the NG gets extended, the last regularly scheduled COVID-19 briefing was held and Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology Minister, Tony Andersen handed down his last budget as Treasurer of the Fourth Nunatsiavut Assembly.

March 10, NG seeks for interviews about North of Nain.

Daylight Savings time begins on March 11 and new COVID-19 activity begins in Nain, Postville and Rigolet.

March 14, Public Health State of Emergency and NLESD guidelines gets lifted, elections for Ordinary Members to the Nunatsiavut Assembly begins.

Registrations for the Gracie Memorial Hockey tournament started on March 15, some places along the coast lifts COVID-19 restrictions.

The Provincial Government continue to report COVID-19 via a new interactive dashboard, and Pauktuutit gets three new board members on March 21.

ON March 22, The virus continues in Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet, complaints been conducted on two separate investigations into groups for allegedly illegally harvesting caribou in Labrador, Air Inuit flights been scheduled for Easter.

Visitor Restrictions sets in place at St. Patrick’s Home in St. John’s, the Gracie Memorial Hockey Tournament starts., and the provincial government helps Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with Rising Cost of Living Plan on March 23rd.

Nunatsiavut Government Johannes Lampe claims March 24 to be World Tuberculosis Day, $70,000 was raised at the Health Care Foundation Radiothon.

COVID-19 activity continues in Nain, Hopedale, Postville and Rigolet but not Makkovik, $22,355,503 was funded to bring high-speed Internet to more than 1,000 households in rural areas in Labrador, and it was the third night for the Gracie Flowers Memorial Hockey Tournament on March 25.

On March 28, was the 47th anniversary of the Labrador Inuit Association, the results of the Gracie Tournament was released.

Four facilities in the Eastern Health Jurisdiction places visitor restrictions because of COVD-19 among patients, 70 confirmed active cases in Voisey’s Bay on March 29.

Moravian Churches along the coast prepares for Easter, List of Candidates been released for elections of Ordinary Members to the Nunatsiavut Assembly, Makkovik had to close some facilities due to COVID-19 on March 30.

On March 31, a funding announcement made last week to bring high-speed Internet to more than 1,000 households in Labrador from Ordinary Member, Tony Andersen, and another candidate gets declared for elections as Ordinary Member.

The Nain harbour has finally frozen over, the freeze up started on Friday, December 29, 2022.

After a very long period of warm weather in Labrador throughout the fall and early winter.

It’s now well into winter and since last week the weather has finally gotten a little bit cooler.

Lab-confirmed cases of influenza saw a huge spike in the weeks before Christmas, but whether cases will see another post-holiday surge remains to be seen.

The latest influenza report for the province dates to the week ending December 17. There were 180 new lab-confirmed cases of the flu, with 41 hospitalizations, 5 ICU admissions and one death. The majority of cases, primarily involving influenza A, were reported in the Eastern Health region.

That was down from the previous week, but health care officials are predicting another uptick in cases following the busy Christmas holiday period.

Cases started to rise in November and peaked in the week ending December 10. Until December 17, there had been a total of 612 lab-confirmed cases of influenza in the province with eight deaths due to the illness. Outbreaks of the flu and other respiratory illnesses jumped in November, while calls to the Healthline saw a similar surge in the last weeks of November and into early December.

It is five days until the last flight for Air Inuit to come to Nain for the Christmas Holidays.

The last flight will be on Wednesday, January 8, 2023.

It departs George River at 10:45am then arrives to Nain at 12:10pm.

Lastly, it will depart from Nain at 12:40pm, and arrives back to George River at 2:05pm.

In memory of a former co-worker, the late K.Naeme Merkuratsuk of Nain, who worked at OKalaKatiget for many years with Radio and she also worked with the Television Department.

Merkuratsuk was also a chapel servant at the Nain Moravian Church. She helped and taught many new chapel servants the roles of being a chapel servant.

Click here to hear one of her last interviews in Inuktitut at 2:30 pm.